Celebration of Maltese bread

Qormi's Bread Festival 2007 was held yesterday for the seventh year, celebrating the traditions of the Maltese.

Maltese bread is part of the country's identity. It is also tied to the country's religious beliefs, and in fact, different types of bread had different religious names, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said.

Bread is also related to various Maltese sayings and was part of the country's gastronomic originality, which even foreigners sought. Maltese bread was in the news recently when the government allowed its price to go up by one cent and increased the subsidy it grants to bakers following a sharp rise in international grain prices.

The festival was organised by the Pastoral and Liturgical Youth Group, with the collaboration of the Qormi local council and the assistance of the Tourism Ministry, the Malta Tourism Authority and Maypole Ltd. Qormi is the island's traditional heartland of bread making.

Apart from the display, an evening of folklore was held in front of the church of St Sebastian.